The Top 10 Black History Books
The Top Ten Black History Books
When it comes to Black history books, there are a whole lot to choose from. So getting down to 10, is not just hard, its pretty impossible. So keep in mind, these choices are a mixture of some classics and some new takes on Black history and the list is not meant to be definitive.
That said, these are a group of reads that take on certain aspects of Black history from slavery all the way to contemporary times. If you’re looking for something new to read, start here and continue to explore the rich history of African-Americans books this month and beyond!
Isabel Wilkerson
Though it came out in 2010, The Warmth of Other Sons soon became a classic of its genre. Its rich story, told by Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Isabel Wilkerson, tells of the journey of African-Americans from the Deep South to other parts of the country and the impact of that move.
Narrative of The Life of Frederick Douglass An American Slave
Frederick Douglass
Douglass’ searing memoir, first published in 1845 was one of the first firsthand accounts of slavery. It outraged those who had no idea of slavery’s real conditions and its impact on both slaver and slave. This is the first of Douglass’ three biographies and despite the years that have passed is still one of history’s most compelling accounts of life in slavery.
12 Years a Slave
Solomon Northrup
Northrup, a free man with a family who was tricked and sold into slavery is the man behind this memoir and the award-winning 2013 movie starring Michael Fassbender and Lupita Nyong’o. Originally published in 1853, Northrup, who would ultimately win his freedom back, became a sensation because of his measured response to the horrors he faced as a slave.
By W.E.B DuBois
What DuBois wrote about the souls of Black folks in 1903 shouldn’t resonate so much over 100 years later, but fortunately or unfortunately, it still does. It’s a must-read for anyone studying Black history or putting the continuing challenges of contemporary Black folks in historical context. DuBois was a leading voice of the early 20th century and that voice continues to be relevant today.
Carter G. Woodson
If you have children, this book is must. It was originally published in 1933, but once again, the problems it addresses still continue. If you believe that Black children are indoctrinated in our current system of education, instead of actually being taught anything of value, this book, written by scholar Carter G. Woodson, who also began Negro History Month, is essential reading.
The Half Has Never Been Told by Edward E. Baptist
This book is written by a white author, but don’t let that stop you. If you’ve visited the Smithsonian Museum of African-American History and Culture, you know that the story of how widespread slavery was and how it contributed to the global economy has been downplayed, likely on purpose. This book expands on that information, explaining how slavery was an institution that benefitted just about everyone except those whose backs it was dependent on.
We Were Eight Years In Power: An American Tragedy
Ta-Nehisi Coates
Coates’ collection of essays, released in 2017, spans the Obama years, painting a picture of a galvanized Black America who enjoyed artistic, financial, social and psychic advantages only to recognize at the end of eight years that Trump’s election meant things were back to business as usual.
By Elaine Brown
Black Panther insider Elaine Brown was one of the few women to assume leadership in the BPP, but it came at a heavy price. The Panthers, despite their lofty ideals, were the victims of police violence and infiltration from the outside and decimated by misogyny, egos and violence from the inside.
Henry Louis Gates, Jr.
Historian Gates takes a break from finding the roots of individuals to delve into the roots of the Black experience in America. While one volume is hardly comprehensive, Gates provides an overview of the experiences of enslaved Africans to their contemporary descendants.
The New Jim Crow: Mass Incarceration in the Age of Colorblindness
By Michelle Alexander
A modern classic, Alexander examines the role of mass incarceration in the extension of the racist policies and disenfranchisement that have kept Black men at a disadvantage in America for the last several hundred years. It’s a compelling look at how Black men in prison and on probation and parole are often denied basis civil rights in arrest, detention, imprisonment and even after they’ve paid their dues.
